Highveld Croc
Description: This river has the possibility to get really rough, I and many others will gladly agree that at low water it never becomes anything higher than a Grade 2 river. However when the water is flowing any higher than 65Cumes it can easily go up to a 4+ on some of the rapids. The section from "Fridays farm to ERA" is 19.2 km long with 27 grade 1-2 @ low water And Grd1-4+ @ high. Pool drop! The commercially run portion of the Highveld Croc river starts at "Fridays Farm Bridge" with the easiest of put ins on the river right, first push the buzzer at '''No.12 '''and tell the nice people that you are about to set off and how many craft you are, so they can assist by locking their dogs away. If however there is nobody home proceed down '''river righ'''t with caution as their dogs are keen to snap at you as you paddle past. There is no warm up and the rapid, ['''Morning Glory'''] starts immediately after the put in. '''Class 1-2 at normal levels,[9-16cumes]''', this rapid is about 120m ending with a small shoot on river right or the center small waves that enter into the 1st pool. Paddle across the pool till the '''Left''' embankment, ready to enter '''"Sharelords falls'''". Class 1-2 at normal levels, and about 40m long. By keeping '''Extreme Left '''you can safely shoot down the '''small but rocky 1m high drop''', alternatively there is a '''Fast and Turbulent '''shoot down the '''Center, '''it's a '''Hard Right Turn '''at '''High '''water levels''', [25cumes upwards], '''with two '''Small but Deep '''holes in the direct route, as well as a '''Strong Side Surge '''from '''Right to Left''' on entering the shoot so watch your balance end keep your weight forward! '''Keeping to River '''left there is a straight line down the next short rapid, "'''Sharelords Twins'''" Class 1-2 @ normal, and about 65m long, with a '''Small''' but '''Strong Keeper ''''''H''''''ole/Pour-Over '''at the end of the run, which can be dodged at the last moment by skipping the craft to the left just at the last moment. At low to normal water heights,[10 cumes or less] there is a''' Fun Twist in the rapid''', by running the first half down the left then midway '''Cutting Right '''with the flow across to the '''Far Right''' to pass between the '''"Wall' and the "1st Twin'''", not quite wide enough for a Croc,[Open Inflatable 2 man Raft] to pass sideways through, If you wedge sideways here its a certain swim! Following this there are some small and unimportant rapids as a build up to "'''Alice Falls'''" Class 1-3, which at low water are bony and tricky to pass through the narrow gaps, however at high water makes small Holes and Wave trains, so watch out for strainers, at the '''Second '''of these two small rapids, stay on '''River Right '''as the dogs will cause you problems if you get too close! When you shoot the Falls, it's a '''straight line down the center '''of the '''Shoot''' with a small '''Left Side Skip '''to avoid the '''Pour-over''',In a '''Kayak ,Do not boof!''' It will suck you back and beat you! There is a nice beach on River Right to rest and re-group. The following stretch is long and quiet with only a small double step easily shot on '''River Right'''. Next is "'''Confluence Rapid'''" Class 1-4+ with any number of routes through, The canoe clubs do their '''portage '''down the '''River Left '''to below the rapid, some 200m, over the lawn of "'''Tranquil Waters Spa'''" [an emergency take out]. The route I take is all '''down the River Right '''through the Gully I call "'''Black Rock'''". This starts with a short '''Shoot on River Right '''under the low branches, Followed by a '''1m drop, [Easy boof]''' into the 1st pool,['''scout from here if you're unsure, and set up safety from here as well'''] There are two twisting shoots to get into the Right Gully, once in the Gully ,'''Stay Right '''all the way down, as even at low levels this run is very turbulent, The river makes a '''Sharp Left turn''', Followed by a '''Sharp Right '''which '''splits around "Black Rock'''" down a shoot into the '''Middle pool '''below the cliffs, peel hard Left into the Large Eddy [from here one can see the many routes that this rapid has and an easy portage back up on River Left will allow one to try any of them!] , '''Paddle''' across to the '''far Left '''bank to safely run the second half of the rapid, '''Stay clear '''of any of the lines in the '''center '''as they are mainly '''Siphons and Undercuts'''! Run the second half down the left till the pool at the bottom. Re-Group on the beach on River Right. This wondreful rapid now has a small waterfall on extreme River Left, easy to get to from the middle section, check the drop befor you shoot it! its about 3m and loads of fun! Next is an acceleration of water channeled through a narrow gap flowing from '''Right to Left''', Here there is a small but '''very surfable Play Wave''', but do not try unless you have great balance and/or a good Roll. It is eddy fed from the Right and splits left and right off the embankment under strainers. Across the pool there is "'''The Pinnacle Rock'''" class 1-2+, 45m, a short but fast rapid with a downstream Pinnacle rock that at high water catches many a paddler out as it is hidden by the water, '''Best shot '''down the '''Left Cutting Right''' before the bottom to avoid the Pinnacle Rock. Following this there are some small rifles of water leading up to a long pool at the '''SOS Training Center''', [a possible emergency take out, @ the large thatch on the left of the river. on the bend] "'''Orbils'''" follows with a straight run down the center into the pool below, Class 1-2+, 100m long. After the long pool there is the 1st of the "'''Winsome Valley'''" rapids, a long '''Rifling '''of waves down the '''River Right''', that end after they pass under a '''Strainer from River Right''', followed by a fast narrow channel that brushes past '''2 Strainers from the Left''' into another long pool before it flows down to the main rapid, '''"Winsome Valley"'''. At low to med heights pass Left of the entrance boulders and staying close to them, it's a straight line down the middle, through two pour overs and a small stopper, Stay Right of the flat rock at the bottom, as there are two short rapids after this, with a classy wave at the top of the 1st. '''Scout at High water''' from the '''Right'''! After a few small rifles of water your next formidable rapid is "'''Constantia" aka "Bobs'''", this rapid '''has a 1:4 tipping ratio'''. Class 1-3+, 50m with any of 4 channels to take at high water, scouted from the water only! '''Portages''' are to be done '''only on the River Right'''! The Fun and challenging run known as "'''Bobs'''" is down the '''Left '''of the river, 1st down the small shoot just left of the round topped boulder below the entrance drop, then cut Right towards the Island and line up for the '''Very Fast and Shallow Gully,[@ levels higher than 35 cumes its not for beginners!]''' '''Stay Right '''in the gully and its 10m followed by a '''Sharp Right Turn''', then as one passes '''under the reeds '''is a '''sharp Left '''to take you out over the rocks into the pool. '''NB: DO NOT TAKE OUT AT ANY TIME ON THE LEFT AS THE OWNER IS NOT CANOE FRIENDLY!! ''' One has now '''done 8km '''of the river. The following 2 small rapid only have nice waves and strainers from the Right in the 1st with some from the Left in the second, leading up to the high cliffs at "'''Tennis Ball Corner'''", [so named after I found over 50 balls in the debris on the Left at the base of the cliff] From here down for 7km, on this section, the only houses are the Hotel at Hennops weir owned by Tokyo Sexwale. "'''Tennis Ball'''" is a fast Class 1-2+ running from '''Right to Left '''and exiting with a '''sharp Right''' to avoid the strainers and rocks at the base of the rapid. There are also two other lines for the '''Kayakers''' down the '''Left''' in '''Between''' the rocks, Narrow and Turbulent with strainers from the Left. From here to the Hennops weir, aka "'''Double Drop'''" the only thing to watch for apart from the Fish eagles is the "'''Special branch'''" in a small rapid 60m past the Tennis ball, many a K1 paddler has been herd to shout "Oh Sh..." as they get court out! then there is over 1km to regroup. "'''Double drop'''" is a '''weir'''! and only runnable at levels less than 25cumes! The line is down the second horse shoe drop from Left and down the Right Of Center, Both are a short Boof! [one can also Boof on extreme Left on both drops], Scout from the Right and Portage here too] '''NB: DO NOT ATTEMPT TO RUN IN A K1 OR K2!!''' After the weir the '''water level will have risen''' a bit for the joining of the Hennops river 150m before the Drops. The following section is long and bumpy with only a few Strainers down the Left and some waves in the center, for about 1km, fun and easy. Followed by some small rapids split by long pools leading up to the "'''Old Bridge'''" The "'''Old Bridge'''" {Built during the Boer War} has two entry points, Class 1-2+, 120m, The first is on the '''Left of Center''' Down a shoot and through a '''Strong shallow hole '''into the center of the rapid. The second is on '''River Right '''brushing along the trees to avoid the '''Undercut bridge and Hidden Rock''', Cutting Hard Left to avoid the trees once past the wall. This is followed by two short rapids and a long pool before "'''Rambo's Bridge' [washed away on Dec 16th 2010'''] There is a short small rapid leading up to "'''Rambo's Bridge'''" stay '''Right of Center '''and be sure to exit it on the right to line yourself up for the run of the broken bridge. It has a '''clear run '''down the '''Right''' at levels larger than 30 cumes, If unsure a scout can be done on River Right as well as a portage. Please check before running at low levels as there may be structural steel in the water! Your next Rapid is "'''The Profs' '''followed by "'''Profs Bridge'''" and "'''Sables'''" Class 1-3+, 150m. This starts with '''Large waves '''and a '''Giant Hole '''at the top on '''River Right''', followed by a long wave train down to the bridge, '''Kayak Portage '''can be done '''on River Right''', at the bridge itself, '''Crocs and K1/2''''s must '''portage on River Left '''50m before the bridge and put in after, At low levels and provided the bridge is clear of debris it can be '''snuck under on River Left'''. Your put in is in the '''Sables Rapid''', Class 1.[Safe take out and launch from here as it is only 2km to the tar road up the hill, one cannot leave a car here! Use the parking at the restaurant, "Nikita's". The next Rapid is "'''The Reactor'''", Class 1-3+, 120m long, it has a '''Large Hole''' just Left of Center at the top and kicks a stunning Wave Half way down, Eddy fed and great for surfing with a clear portage and scout on the Right. '''Pelindaba 1st''' weir follows, Class 2-4+ some 200m away, on approach, look Left to the concrete, if one cannot see the Steel foot pegs in the wall on the Left then it is safer not to run!! portage can be done on both sides of the river. If you deem the drop runnable, '''Kayaks and Crocs '''run only on the '''Left Shoot'''! '''K1's and K2's '''shoot only on the '''extreme Right '''over the rocks. '''NB: The center of this weir can and has beaten Paddlers to near death'''! '''so avoid'''!! '''Pelindaba 2nd''' weir follows, with a '''Clear Staircase''' down the middle and clean boofs on both sides at low levels, it has a turbulent anticlockwise swirl below the drop on Left. If on approach '''one cannot see''' the '''concrete on either side''', It Is '''Not safe to Run'''! Portage can be done on Left hand side with ease. In between these two weirs is a '''safe exit and entry point''', with Flushing Loo's and safe parking as well as camp grounds. "'''Full Stop'''" follows at the start of the '''Crocodile River Canyon''', It's a 60m Class 1-3+, with a strong current that uses the rock to turn Left, after which one must stay right to avoid the strainers! The canyon has 4 small rapids and then is followed by 1.5km of flat water leading up to the last 2 rapids of this section. Next is "'''Berties Butt'''" a broken bridge split into 4 from the resent high water, the nicest entry is just to the Right of the Section of bridge furthest Left, then down the center on the Rapid, There is a great play wave and it is eddy fed from Left, a nice 70m long class1-2+. Lastly "Mr. Bones" a straight line down the center of the river with some nice waves at the end! From here it's an easy 600m paddle to the take out at Paddle Power/ERA base camp. GPS Coordinates: Key: '''R''' = Rapid '''A''' = Access '''L''' = Landmark '''H''' = Hydrology Station ---- Operators:=